In my dreams I would sometimes find myself floating on my back with hands behind my head down a footpath, or I would find myself flapping my arms over a beach and often I would have arms by my side 100 meters above the ground cruising above the tree tops enjoying the view.
I could also conjure up the experience of flying by just lying in bed thinking about what it would be like to fly and then off I would go! It would truly be as simple and easy as that.
It has been years since I have flown, and I miss it....
see you in the sky soon!
]]>I can think of a few points of difference like, material type, lightweight, foldable, install in seconds and innovative but are they things that can make a lasting difference to the way somebody feels, I don't think so...To find Upstand's point of difference I need to go a bit deeper.
So what's Upstand's point of difference?
Matt.
]]>It’s a pretty cool feeling discovering something new and telling others about your discovery. When you discover something we want to tell our tribe about our discovery because we know that they'll appreciate it, but it also portrays us as having some kind of 'inside knowledge' or edge.
Who is Upstand's group of people, how do I picture the Upstand tribe? Do they love unique furniture that's innovative and works toward a better wellbeing.
Cheers
]]>There are three types of activity or exercise
If standing falls under one of the above, then by definition 'standing' is exercise.
Dictionary definition of exercise: 'engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness'
]]>I think I like it more..
"Upstand - Innovative products that promote wellbeing"
Matty
]]>Matt
]]>
When I started Upstand my overall health and wellbeing was not good, I felt out of control, and it was a place I never wanted to fall into. Upstand is about helping others believe they can be in control of their health.
Matt
]]>What drove me to spend 3 months designing a product then create a collection of prototypes, to decide to spend my own money to patent one of those designs, build a website, find a manufacturer, courier, packaging, email address...anyway you get the point.
There definitely was something that drove me to keep going.
Cheers.
]]>
Would an Upstand desk help you feel productive because it so fast to install, or would it make you feel cleaver because of the way it opens and closes or does it make you feel content because you know your doing the right thing by standing and looking after your health.
what feeling does an Upstand give you?
Matt
]]>Upstand is better by definition when we see the positive change we desire. So the question is, what positive change do we all desire. If the change you desire aligns with the change Upstand desires we can help make positive change together.
Matt
]]>I'm reading a book called 'This is marketing' and it teaches an authentic approach to marketing. I love that the book is geared to the entrepreneur start up type of business. But the fact that the values outlined in the book align with Upstand and that the strategy is simple is enough to keep me reading.
Thanks
Matt
]]>Matt
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Matt
upstand
]]>How can we serve others by contributing to a cause bigger than ourselves?
A couple of weeks ago I landed on Upstand's Business vision statement and I feel really pleased with it because it's considered, genuine and from my heart.
I's not easy landing on a Just cause let alone writing it out in a succinct kind of way. I believe a vision should be timeless and have the capacity to cater for anybody and everybody wanting to get involved. So as you can imagine it took a fair bit of soul searching to find what Upstand's timeless vision represented.
Anyhow, I would love to know what you think about our new vision and whether it resonates with you and your values.
Upstand's vision: "We're in Business for the wellbeing of People & Planet"
Thanks and take care.
]]>Since starting Upstand I've come to realise how important it is to have a robust, attractive and sustainable package solution.
Our packaging creates a first impression, it's the first thing an Upstand customer sees and handles. I'm always inspired how every product released by Apple has a consistency between packaging and product... I still have the box my new iphone came in 3 years ago!!
Up until about 4 months ago our package solution was only serving it's purpose to protect during transit. We would consume rolls of bubble wrap and sticky tape and all I used to think was how unsustainable and unproductive our packaging was...we could do better.
In spite of our ordinary packaging the orders keep coming and it was only a matter of time till we needed to upgrade and find a solution. Fast forward to now and I can happily say not only did we find a solution we found a local company to manufacture our desk covers. Now all our packaging is sustainable and also includes our logo.
]]>
The new Upstand RISE desk is the first desk I designed back in 2017. I was initially going to release the RISE design as our first product launch but it didn't end up working out that way. When we finally launched our website in 2019 it was the Upstand ORIGINAL that became our first product to market.
In late September 2020 I began to revisit the Upstand Rise design and felt that this was the next product to release. October 2020 was a month of sketching and building prototypes. Then November 2020 was when I received the first 1:1 scale prototype for review. And now in Feb 2021 I'm just about to collect the second 1:1 prototype to play with. It's taken a little longer than anticipated but so worth it!
A couple more things to get through but well on our way to releasing our next Upstand soon.
Talk soon.
]]>...Over the Christmas break I've been writing down ideas for Upstand's vision or 'Just Cause'. I've been thinking about global issues and as a business how we can give back and show people what we believe in and represent.
I was really moved after reading about Patagonia and how they stand for such a simple yet strong cause...'We're in the Business to save Planet Home'.
I'm enjoying exploring and landing on Upstand's just cause, I'ts going to be a worthy exercise for laying a great foundation and steering the business forward.
Cheers
Matt
]]>Hi everyone,
Today is an important day in Australia, as we focus and encourage people to ask the question, 'R U OK'? The R U Ok campaign's vision is to have a world where we're all connected and are protected from suicide. This years focus, is on the fact that this question shouldn't be a 'one off' question.. and then forgotten about for the rest of the year. It should be an ongoing conversation, a regular checking in with people.
Upstand wanted to highlight this important day as we feel this year has brought such emotional challenges to so many people around the globe. We also want to keep highlighting the fact that we are all about 'wellbeing' and this totally includes mental health as a part of the whole body / mind and spirit.
A lot of our customers and people that respond to our social media posts, are in the younger generations.. and this week has been a challenging week on the social media front, particularly for the younger Z Gen or Millennial Y Generations. Social media can be such an amazing way of spreading the word, of sharing fun and interesting things that happen to us... but obviously it's also a place that can be used by people with different intentions.
We want to help spread the word, that it's ok to speak up, to ask for help, to say to someone you trust that you're not doing ok. Also, we want to encourage everyone who reads this post to think about who might not be doing ok in your particular circle, and perhaps have the courage to ask them, "R U Ok"? Help them know they're not alone, they're not a burden, they have the support they need if and when they need it. The R U Ok website is a fantastic resource for all, as it really encompasses all walks of life. They have support links available, video's, and amazing information to help support raising awareness.
If you have been struggling with anything, then we just want to encourage you to talk to someone about it.. whether it is a trusted friend or family member, or someone else such as your GP or counsellor. Here are some options if you're a bit stuck:
Phone 13 11 14 or Crisis Support Chat
Phone 1300 659 467 or online counselling
Phone 1800 551 800 or WebChat counselling
Phone 1300 789 978 or online counselling
Phone 1800 011 046 or visit their website
Phone 1800 184 527 or webchat 3pm to midnight daily
VIDEO LINKS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09qk0lXTfi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erHLP29tzPE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxfcD02c58g&t=11s
Take extra care of yourself today, and don't forget to keep asking R U Ok each and every day!
Emma, at Upstand.
]]>
A few weeks ago, we wrote about our opportunity to launch our Upstand Original on Amazon Launchpad.
Well today we wanted to write to tell you about a new opportunity we've had, launching us further into the online marketplace world, an opportunity to be part of one of the newest online marketplaces in Australia.. Finder Marketplace.
Some of you might know the Finder app or website? It's a global comparison website, a labyrinth of up to date information, on pretty much anything you want to compare. From shopping items be them small or large, to comparing insurance providers, banks, mobile plans, the list goes on. There are also some fantastic articles to be found.
A little article we were particularly fond of was the "Where to buy laptop stands online" found here: https://www.finder.com.au/buy-laptop-stands-online featuring Upstand!
We've joined Finder's beta online Marketplace, and are excited to be a part of this new online service... launching right here in Australia.
Let us know what you think of Finder... and check us out by going to Finder Marketplace, then you'll find us under the Office and Business / Office Furniture tab.
Take care guys, and have a great week!
Emma.
]]>]]>
Today we want to write about an exciting opportunity that has come our way, to keep our customers and followers up to date on all things Upstand!
We’d love to share this journey with you, because we feel it’s important to keep our followers updated. We also wanted to say we’re here for the long run, we’re not just a one product shop. Matt, the Upstand Founder and Product Designer, is sketching non-stop. He has built further prototypes, and we’re in the process of getting these products made and ready to sell! So there will be more blogs about these products in the coming weeks and months!
A few months ago, we received an email from Amazon Launchpad… yes Amazon were writing to us! Very exciting! We weren’t sure at first what Amazon Launchpad was, so we delved into doing some research about it. Basically, it’s an online marketplace, part of Amazon, aimed at selling up and coming innovative products, Australia wide. Businesses usually have to apply to get the chance to advertise their products, and there are certain criteria you must meet to be able to advertise. We can say quite proudly that Amazon Launchpad were interested in us, and we were assisted to get things up and running.
We were excited about the prospects of reaching more customers, but all the same had to really think hard about the direction of our business. In the end it was a no brainer, as the chance to be able to advertise our product to a wider audience was very exciting, and one we have now taken on board.
We launched Upstand approximately 3 weeks ago now on Amazon Launchpad, which is hugely exciting for us. We’re excited to see how this opportunity unfolds and develops over time.
Check out Amazon Launchpad here https://www.amazon.com.au/b?ie=UTF8&node=6668070051 and if you want to look for us, we’re able to be found in the Home Office Products section, or just search "Upstand".
If you have any comments or feedback, let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you. Our email is theupstand@outlook.com
Bye for now and happy Monday!
Emma.
Managing Partner at Upstand.
]]>
We at Upstand are still quite a new business, and today we wanted to start writing little snippets of our journey as a business. We might try to do this on a regular basis, to keep our customers and website visitors up to date with our thoughts, plans and updates.
Since our launch date, now a year ago this month (August 2019), we've learned so much not only about the processes and practical steps of setting up a business.. things like setting up postage options and the all important website design, but we also have really delved into the life of our customers... learning about how to meet their needs on an individual level.
We've had some great feedback about our original design, it's uniqueness, the affordability, it's environmental standpoint to name just a few. What Upstand truly wants to do though, our vision.. is to make products that suit all walks of life, and we have listened to the feedback.. and this in turn has helped us to shift some of our focus on details that matter.
One of the main pieces of feedback we noticed, from very early on, was that the original Upstand design was one size, which suited many customers but also wasn't ideal for some of our shorter or smaller customers. The Upstand Founder, Matt O'Sullivan, listened to this bit of feedback and ran with it. For a few months sketches were drawn, prototypes were made, to get to a perfect small to medium size desk. The house, you could say, was an abyss of cardboard! Matt, being the perfectionist he is, had to get the measurements exact and precise. He worked hard on the new Upstand small design, often getting friends and family to feedback their honest opinions.
Now as we head into August 2020, Matt has perfected the small size, and we can start to officially advertise and sell it. We ordered stock which is all now ready to go!
Some quick facts about the size differences, for those wondering minds:
Upstand Tall
Height: 34cm
Width of area where laptop sits: 26.5cm
Length: 59cm
Upstand Small
Height: 28cm
Width: 26cm
Length: 59cm
So there you have it! Our second size option, the Upstand Small... now ready to go! Such a feeling of achievement to get smaller sizes out to those who need it. We're hoping to gain some feedback on the new size too... so if you purchase one, please let us know what you think and get in touch!!
Write to us at theupstand@outlook.com if you have any feedback or questions, as we'd love to hear from you!
Bye for now,
Emma at Upstand.
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